


Your Little Thief

by animelover133



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - 1930s, Alternate Universe - 1940s, Alternate Universe - Mobtale (Undertale), F/F, F/M, Magic, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, mafiatale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2019-08-23 23:42:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16628747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animelover133/pseuds/animelover133
Summary: All you want is to sing at speakeasies and live a simple life of freedom, but you're stuck being a tool for the Don of the Second District. Stealing, lying, fighting: this is your true lifestyle and it's all you've ever known. But beneath that lies a few secrets of your own, such as the blooming friendship between you and a member of the Third District...the Monster District. But what your Boss doesn't know won't kill him...or you...right?





	1. Prologue: You're Hired

**Author's Note:**

> Alright! So this here is one that I've been planning out and I'm loving it! Let me know what you guys think!!!
> 
> We've got 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and some present day style all wrapped in one and tied with a MafiaTale bow! This'll all be explained in the story, so just sit down and enjoy the ride~
> 
> (And for those of you wanting me to continue Unbreakable, I promise I'm redoing it. I've decided it was best I orphan it and retry it later.)

 You had two options:

 Run or get kidnapped.

 You could hear their heavy footsteps chasing after you, shouting obscenities and laughing as they got closer to you. You fleetingly wondered why they were so willing to get their fancy oxfords dirty just to get one teenage girl but decided it didn’t matter as you felt something brush your tattered sweater. You needed to keep moving through these confusing alleyways and lose them, else you knew you were in for a bad time.

  “Come on, doll. You’re testin’ the Boss now.” one of them shouted.

 You didn’t bother responding to him and took a turn into another tight alley, your shoulder scraping the wall on your right. Geez, their suits must be getting ruined the longer they chased you. Well, if these eggs were gonna run themselves ragged, then they were free to. You, on the other hand, weren’t about to stick around and have some tea with them or their disgusting boss you had bumped into earlier.

**_Bang!_ **

 A gunshot rang out, ringing in your ears. You flinched, forcing your muscles to go faster. You didn’t think they were going to try and _shoot you_. Weren’t they ordered to bring you back to their boss, ya know, _alive_? Last you checked, being riddled with bullet holes wasn’t the way to go.

  “Damn, we gotta hurry. Boss is gonna get impatient.”

  “Can I have a raincheck on that, boys?” You said over your shoulder. “I’m in a bit of a rush to get somewhere.”

  “Got a little wise gal here, huh?”

  “Think the Boss’ll be upset if I just shoot her leg?”

 Your body was high on adrenaline, your hair standing on end as you turned into a wider alley, skidding around a large trash bag. You caught a glimpse of your pursuers in that split second: one was shorter than the other, with a goatee and red in the face, while the other had a large tear in his pinstripe suit jacket and holding a pistol with both hands. Were they actually going to –

  ** _Bang!_**

 Guess that answered your question, but it didn’t seem like he was aiming at you, else that would have at least skimmed you. Maybe he was shooting it at the sky just to scare you? Well, it was certainly working, if that were the case. How had they managed to be right on your heels this whole time? Your legs and lungs were ready to collapse in on themselves after fifteen minutes of endless running. There was a stitch in your side too, not to mention your countless bruises from turning in this maze of alleys too quickly and banging into the brick walls. They had to give up at some point, right? Or were they too afraid of their boss to come back empty handed? God, you prayed it was the former and they would call it quits.

  “Come on…let me…just…shoot her…”

 Ah, so they _were_ tiring out. Good, that meant you were almost in the clear and could hide somewhere for a while until it was safe. You knew these alleyways more than any mobster ever could and there was no way you were about to be kidnapped by these two thugs.

  “No! He’ll have our heads and you’d best believe I’m gonna point in your direction when he asks why she’s bleedin’ out.”

 The other one, the tall one, barely seemed winded. That was a problem. You didn’t have much energy left to stay ahead of them. Should you risk climbing one of the fire escapes and making a run for it on the rooftops? Maybe throw them off guard by turning around and trying to wrestle the gun from the tall one? Was there something in these alleys you could temporarily use as a weapon?

  ** _Bang!_**

  “Quit runnin’!”

 Damn, were they getting closer?

  “This…little…brat…”

 Oh god, they were. You needed to think of a solution, fast. You could see a fire escape up ahead and you sucked in a breath of despair as you got close enough to see that the ladder had been broken and was useless to you in this moment. The Second District needed to refurbish their area, before it ended up looking like the Third District.

  “Gotcha!”

 A heavy weight settled on your back, throwing you off balance and sending you tumbling, face first, into the ground with a grunt of pain. The weight didn’t move off you and your stomach curled in on itself as heavy cologne invaded your senses. The one atop you chuckled in your ear, pressing his hands over your wrists before you even had a chance of squirming.

  “Well well, look what I got here. You may not look like much, but you sure can run.”

  “Get off of me!” you hissed, attempting to tug your wrists out of his hold.

  “Heh. After all the work I put myself through to get you, dollface?” He shifted, putting his weight against your legs and thoroughly squishing you into the grimy floor. “You okay there, Paul?”

  “J…just gimme a sec.”

 You needed to find a way out. You’d done it before when coppers managed to get their filthy hands on you, so why not from these pathetic mobsters? You only needed to wait, collect some energy, then make a run for it when the opening presented itself. It wasn’t going to be too hard, really.

  “Boss?” The one holding you down moved around, making you aware of something sharp pressing itself into your leg. “What are you doin’ all the way in here? Paul and I were just about to- “

 There was an abrupt silence and you felt the man tense above you. You were facing the opposite way, so you had no clue of what was happening behind you. Was it really their boss? How had you not heard them coming?

  “You’ve nearly succeeded in running away from my men. That’s quite a feat.” His voice was low, with a hint of a foreign accent. “They certainly had trouble getting you, but Eddie here got you in the end. I would have been impressed if you had gotten away, although that would have been a death sentence for these two here.”

 One of them audibly gulped and you could feel your heartbeat increasing, bouncing against your chest. He had spoken of murdering two of his men without any hesitation or remorse, like they were tools. So men like him actually existed in this world? The thought made you sick.

  “Get her up; I want to see her face when I’m talking. Make sure she doesn’t take off again.”

 Suddenly there were hands and an overwhelming amount of cologne that surrounded you, taking hold of your arms and yanking you to your feet. You prepared yourself to break free and run to freedom, putting as much distance as you could between you and these disgusting people. You were forced to turn around, held by Eddie and another man by your arms, their grip strong. You came face to face with dark eyes, slicked hair, tanned skin. He wore a perfectly pressed zoot suit and a fedora tilted to one side. It was a face you’d seen on the papers that you were warned to steer clear of at all costs…and now you were in his grasp. A group of about five or six men stood behind him, hands touching hidden weapons.

  “Relax, boys. No need to get so riled up here.” He took off his fedora and pressed it to his chest, bowing slightly. “We got a dame in our presence and we should make her feel welcome.”

 His men exchanged looks, clearly hesitant to obey the order. Eddie’s grip on you tightened in warning, then looked to his leader. “Boss, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. She could give us the slip and then we’d be chasin’ her all night.”

  “Nonsense. She’s not even kickin’ or screamin’. She’s got enough brains up there to know better.”

 Slowly, his men released their weapons and stood tall, waiting for their next orders. You were scrambling to find a way out of this situation, preferably alive. Make a run for it, here and now? Wait for a bit and try to get some help? Find the right moment to scram?

  “Well, aren’t you a sight?” Were you supposed to answer him? He continued before you had the chance to. “But the thing is, I can see past all the dirt and muck you got there. Just a nice bubble bath, a little dress and powder, and she’d be perfect.”

 Wait. Was he implying that he was going to treat you like a charity case? Or was there something you were missing here? The Don of the First District, Roman Levich, was going to essentially kidnap you and clean you up? Why?

  “Boss…you sure you want her, though? She seems like a handful.” one of the men spoke out.

 Roman didn’t even turn. “Felix, I suggest you shut your yap. You lot are a handful too, if you haven’t noticed. I can handle her just fine.” He took a step closer, looking down at you in an unsettling manner. “I’m excited to see how long it takes to break you in.”

 Your blood went cold, twisting away from him at his implication. His lips stretched into a smirk at your efforts to get away but didn’t move away from your thrashing. The two holding you struggled to restrain you while the others reacted by pulling out their weapons and rushing to circle you. Panic was making you seize up, unable to find an escape route. Every way you turned was a shiny gun, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. This time, you wouldn’t get the lucky end of the stick like before.

  “Boys, what did I say earlier about weapons?”

 They all stood there, uncertain. Finally, one lowered his gun enough and argued, “But she coul- “

 You almost blinked and missed it as Roman reached behind him and flicked out a pistol, pulling the trigger. Everyone jumped at the resounding bang and the thud of the man as he hit the ground in a heap. You wanted to scream, but your voice had fallen somewhere between your stammering heart and your stomach, resulting in you only able to whimper as he stowed the gun in his waistband once more. Your eyes wanted to turn to the body, but you forced yourself to redirect your gaze to Roman. Your insides were knotting up at the fact that a dead body, a person, was laying only a foot or two away from you, covering the ground with his blood. The image in your head served to only make you gag.

  “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

 Roman was dangerous, the papers had clearly stated. He was someone to avoid and never trust, unless you wanted to be forever stuck under his heel. Why was the world so cruel to have you, of all people, bump into him today?

  “B-boss…?”

  “What, Lou?”

 Seeing as Lou wasn’t joining his friend on the ground, he regained enough confidence to properly speak. “Do you want us to knock her out for a little bit? A-at least until we get back home, of course!”

 Roman was eyeing you now, taking the offer into consideration. Were you shaking? Could he see the fear swimming in your eyes? What was he planning to do with you?

  “Lou, you make a good point.” You instinctively tried to back away, to get away from those glittering dark eyes. Roman’s men held you firmly in place. “However, I believe I was right in saying she’ll be fun in breaking. Why don’t we start now?”

  “ _No!_ ”

 It took you a moment to realize that the scream of defiance had been from you. Roman eyed you coolly, putting his hands behind his back. If you had seen him under different circumstances, you would have only seen a handsome gentleman, not a notorious criminal with a rap sheet longer than your life span.

  “What, no cry for help? No pleading or begging to spare you or let you go?” He shifted on the balls of his feet, smoothly donning his hat and casting a shadow over half his face. “Are you afraid of me, sweetheart?”

 Yes. God, yes. You would rather be facing a horde of coppers than be here. If this man wanted something, he was guaranteed to get it. If he didn’t, he would do anything to get it and keep it. That would have sounded good in a poem, but it only served to make your stomach toss and turn in turmoil. Why did this man want you, for starters? You were just some homeless teen on the streets, trying to survive. No grand talents, you had nothing of value for him to take, not much you could bring to the table. As far as you could tell, he had no valid reason for wanting you.

  “What do you want from me?”

  “From you, just one simple thing. Something you’ll give me, regardless if you’re willing or not.” He smirked, then made a gesture to you. “Your body, your spirit, everything you are is going to mine. Starting now.”

 Before you could protest, all his men took action and surrounded you, reaching for you. You began to scream at them, kicking at anyone within reach as their strong hands ripped your already-tattered clothes off your body. You shivered as the wind nipped at your bare flesh, revealed for all eyes. Was this really happening, to you of all people? 

  “Alright boys, that’s good. Give her the spotlight now.”

 You wanted to cover yourself, to hide yourself away in shame as they all obeyed, leaving you exposed to Roman’s observant eye. Your automatic reaction was to bend over and hide as much of yourself as you could, but the men holding you yanked you upright again. You shook as he came nearer to you, his eyes taking in every inch of you with no shame. You could only wait, anxiety rising higher as he took his time examining you. If this is what the people from the Third District felt like, then you certainly understood their negative attitudes now.

  “A little skinny and pale, but nothing some food won’t fix.” Roman stated.

 The man before you could hardly be considered human. All the rumors that floated around, all the disgusting things that this man had been accused of doing, were probably true. He was real, he was cocky, and he was a greedy bastard. Underneath your disgust for him, beneath your shame and fear, a hatred boiled.

  “Boss, I don’t think we have any clothes for her.” someone brought up.

  “Hm. You’re right. I suppose one of you can shop for her tomorrow.” He winked at you. “I don’t think she’ll need any for tonight, anyway.”

 You could feel the bile rise in your throat. “You can think again, you addle-brained psychopath!”

 Oh, that got everyone’s attention real quick. Didn’t like that, did they? You were probably getting ahead of yourself, but it didn’t matter if you opened your mouth or not at this point, right? He’d get his way in the end, so might as well give them hell.

  “Getting a bit sore over this?” All heads swiveled to Roman, who was completely at ease. “You wouldn’t be the first, and you certainly won’t be the last, sweetheart. Be thankful I’m taking you off the streets and into my District instead of leaving you here.”

  “Boss, we should get going.”

  “Yes, yes. We’ve brought enough entertainment here, I’m sure.” He waved his hand around in the air. “Let’s head out, then!”

 You dug your heels in as everyone tagged along behind. There was no way you were about to allow them to drag you with them into the First District. Once they crossed into their borders, you were on your own and there was nothing you could do but try to escape. And as far as you knew, rarely anyone escaped the First District alive.

 A barrage of gunshots suddenly started up from behind you, making everyone jump. Eddie grunted and fell to his knees seconds later, releasing your arm. Every other man jumped to either protect their Don or hide and prep. Your other arm was released as he ducked for cover, leaving you free…and an open target. You glanced over your shoulder, attempting to cover yourself with your hands. Would these people shoot a harmless, naked girl? You obviously had no weapons on you and it wasn’t like you were one of Roman’s chew toys or anything. Would they spare you?

  “Look alive, boys!”

 It was a large group of over fifteen men and women, all rushing together with guns at the ready. A few were already showering Roman’s men with hot lead, others whooping and hollering encouragement in the back. Should you move, or would that bring unwanted attention?

  “Joe! What about the girl?”

 Never mind, too late. You winced as some of them eyed you, either intrigued or confused at the sight of you. Would it be too presumptuous to crawl into a trash can and call it day? You’d had enough eyes on your nude body today, thank you very much.

  “Don’t just stand there, Steph! Go fetch her!” It was a man you recognized the moment he spoke. Those suspenders and that telltale toothpick poking out of one side of his mouth was one you’d seen plenty of times when walking through the Second District. It was hard not to when you’d lived here your whole life. “Try to cover her, will you? No one needs to see that.”

 A busty woman barreled towards you, her revolver raised at anyone who dared aim for her. She shimmied off her wool overcoat and tossed it over you in one fell swoop. You barely even had time to properly cover yourself with it before she was taking you by the shoulders and tugging you towards her group. Practically shoving you behind some of her associates, she tucked herself back into her space and left you to your own devices.

  “Come here, girlie. Best get out of the way. Some of my guys here tend to be wildfires when they got a weapon in their hands.” You looked to see the man, the Don of the Second District, flick his toothpick aside and held out a calloused hand. Despite the welcoming gesture, you shifted uneasily, unsure whether it was a good idea to take it or not. “Come on, I don’t have all day. I want to get back to the speakeasy and call it a day.”

 Using one hand to keep the coat covering you, you reached up and put your hand in his, allowing yourself to be pulled to your feet. With his other hand, he put two fingers to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. Your stomach dropped as he pulled out a gun of his own and didn’t even pause to aim on a target as he pulled the trigger. The sound had your ears ringing as you flinched away from him, covering your ears with your hands as gunfire started up on all sides of you.

  “Watch yourself, sister. They’ll shoot anything in front of them.” He used the barrel of his gun to guide you behind him. “Stick close and you might get out of this in one piece.”

 Guns were fired, curses were shouted, blood was shed. You were thankfully hidden behind the Don and didn’t see much of the carnage. There was one thing that stood out that just didn’t seem right as the fight progressed and less shots were fired.

  “How are you not getting shot? You’re not even trying to duck for cover.” you dared yourself to ask.

 He paused after pulling the trigger at another target, glancing over his shoulder at you. Your breath hitched at the flecks of blood that was splattered across his face, making him look slightly deranged. He lowered his gun and smirked, turning his back to his opponents and facing you. He was rather tall, with light hair and a white scar that stuck out on his cheek.

  “Well, ain’t you a curious one.” He put his free hand into his pant pocket, dug around a bit, then pulled out a fresh toothpick, sticking it in his mouth. “Most dames would have fainted or pissed themselves to death.”

 Well, you certainly wanted to do one of those things right about now, but you could only withstand so much humiliation in one day. Being naked in front of all these people was more than enough, thanks. You needed to get out of here.

  “Quit turning your back to us, Rubare!”

 He pointedly ignored the mention of his name and kept looking down at you, rolling the toothpick back and forth with his tongue. He seemed to be concentrating on something within his own head, his gaze distant. The thing that snapped him out of it was one of his minions shouting, “Boss! They’re starting to bring out those grenade-things!”

 On cue, a loud explosion sounded close by, followed by a weird snap that echoed throughout the alley. You flinched, staring at where the explosion had come from, confused at the lack of raining dirt and demolition. It took you a second to realize that Roman and his men were missing, like they had up and vanished like vapor.

  “…how-?”

  “Damn, what a mess. Looks like they didn’t wanna stick around, huh?” Rubare turned and smirked. “Those fancy gadgets of theirs. One day, I’ll be in possession of them too and they’ll wish they hadn’t stepped foot in my District.”

 Gadgets? What sort of fancy devices did the First District own? You were sorely tempted to ask but held your tongue, uncertain of whether this Don was any safer than Roman. Would he shoot you if you spoke out of turn? From the looks of it, he was just as trigger-happy as his enemy was, so it might be best to stay quiet and lay low.

  “What do we do about her, Boss?” One of his men pointed at you as you shrank into the coat. “She might be trouble.”

  “She might be one of _his_ …” you heard someone mutter.

  “You’re awful paranoid today, the whole lot of you.” The Don chuckled, taking out his toothpick as he stuffed his gun back in its place. “Anyone got a cig for me?”

 You shifted awkwardly as everyone dug through their pockets to find what their leader had requested, wondering if this would be a good time to make a run for it. You doubted anyone would notice if you tried to sneak of here right now, seeing as everyone was distracted. You began to back away slowly, glancing around you to make sure you didn’t catch anyone’s attention. When you were at a decent distance from them, you sucked in a breath and dashed off, holding the coat to your body. Unintelligible shouts immediately started, but you ignored it and turned into another alley, your eyes locking onto a fire escape that was within reach. You could use that to climb to the roof, dash across them and find a hiding spot until everyone stopped chasing after you. Sounded like a solid plan to you. As you got your hands on the ladder, a gunshot sounded somewhere close by, making you jump out of your skin. Were they really that fixated on catching you that they were going to shoot you? What was with these guys and shooting you?

  “Put your gun away, you boob! He wants her back alive, not have her brains blown out.”

 That was all you needed to hear. You scurried up the ladder and onto the fire escape, and right in the nick of time as they all came around the corner. You didn’t intend to stick around and wait for them to take you back to their boss, running up the fire escape as quickly as you could. It didn’t take long for you to hear them climbing after you, shouting and arguing. That was good for you, seeing as they were all too busy trying to get to you first. Your feet continued to carry you up the fire escape, putting more space between you and the cluster of mobsters. It didn’t take long for you to make it all the way to the flat rooftop, where you ran to the edge and paused to take in where you were.

  “Dimmie Street…that means I’m not far from Francis Avenue. I could hide in that little book store upstairs until this passes.”

  “You mean the one with that squeaky librarian? Not a bad plan, but I might put in my own opinion.” You swiveled over to see Rubare, casually standing off to the side like he’d always been there. But how…? “But for me, personally, I’d go for the diner on the corner of English Street. Quieter area, more places to hide. Or even that new theater…forget the street it was on…”

 You stood there, hands clutching the coat to you, shivering from the slight breeze that brushed over the roof. Rubare was eyeing you with an unsettling smile that grew the longer he looked at you, making you even more wary. This wasn’t the time to stick around and find out what he wanted.

 Hoping you didn’t lose your grip on the coat, you turned the other way and ran, your bare feet slapping against the cold rooftop. As you got closer to the edge of the roof, you sucked in a deep breath and held it, your heart hammering away at the sight of the neighboring building that sat so far away. You weren’t sure you were going fast enough to make it across like you usually could, but it was a risk you were willing to take. Toeing the edge, you didn’t allow your muscles to tense, pushing your body forward and off the roof completely. For a split second, you were running on air, breathless and free as a bird; the next second, you were tucking into a roll as you made the landing. You unfurled yourself, gasping for air as you lay on your back and stared at the sky.

  “That…was way too close.” you huffed.

  “Did she…did she just _jump_ that?!”

 You clamored to your feet at the voice that echoed your way, unnerved at the sight of Rubare and all his lackeys standing where you had just leapt from, all staring at you with expressions of awe or shock. You didn’t miss the way Rubare himself had to pick his jaw up, either. From the looks of it, they were too surprised at your actions to follow or they simply didn’t have the athletic abilities to. Whatever it was, it was a welcome distraction that you used, turning away from your audience to your next landing target.

  “Is she really…there’s no way she’s actually going to…”

 Oh, you were. It was so easy, once you had practice: Gain momentum, time your jump, then tuck and roll. It was a pattern you’d perfected, seeing as you’d needed a better plan to get away after being chased by so many people. Not many were willing to chase a thief when they hopped over the rooftops like it was nothing, you found out.

 Untucking yourself again, you got to your feet and brushed yourself off. This would be so much easier if you were clothed, but there wasn’t much you could do if you accidentally dropped the coat mid-jump. Maybe if you could find a roof with a clothesline, you could try to find something in your size.

  “Well, you made that look much easier than it actually is.” Startled, you turned and found yourself watching Rubare effortlessly jump over to join you on the rooftop. He chuckled as you stumbled away from him, nearly exposing yourself in the process. “I gotta say, little lady, I’m impressed. Have been for a while, actually. You managed to hold your own against Roman and his men, though that isn’t very hard. But you were able to get away from me and slip out of my hands, all while keeping that coat covering you. Not bad.”

  “…where are you going with this?” you asked cautiously.

 He smirked. “Well, you can’t run forever, right? It must be hard living on the streets and stealing in order to survive, right?”

 This was sounding more and more like a proposition. The little voice in your mind was telling you to bounce while you had a chance. Getting caught in this tangled web spelled unwanted trouble and you weren’t about to blindly step into that trap. Anything associated with the mob wasn’t a good idea unless you wanted to find your grave early.

  “Thanks, but no go. I prefer flying free than getting my wings clipped.”

 Rubare didn’t even look fazed by your blatant refusal, standing tall and intimidating, his eyes assessing you. What was he thinking about in that vile brain of his? Why hadn’t he shot you for speaking out of turn, not to mention turning his offer down? Something wasn’t sitting right.

  “Well, that’s awful sad to hear.” He didn’t even try to act upset, which further added to your suspicions. “You would be such a nice asset for me. It’s a better option than being a First District whore, right? I don’t need to waste my energy and men chasing you down, do I?”

 Chasing a homeless teen? What could you possibly have that would be of use to him? This man had an entire District full of people to choose from, so there was no reason to pick you out. “Why would you need to? I don’t possess anything of value for you.”

  “Oh, that just makes this more fun for me. You don’t see the amazing possibilities, the skill sets that you could enhance and perfect under my care.”

  “You mean under your foot?” You immediately recoiled, slapping a hand over your big mouth. Were you trying to give this man an actual reason to kill you where you stood? “I-I mean…I didn’t m-mean – “

  “Oh, aren’t you cute when you’re terrified? How’s about we make a deal, just you and I?”

 A deal? With _him_ , of all people? You’d much rather drown in the Mississippi River repeatedly instead of becoming a Don’s slave. Your silence seemed to speak for itself as Rubare sighed, his face becoming pinched with irritation.

  “Look. You’re obviously in need of shelter and provisions, ya dumb broad. I can easily give you anything you need.”

  “…what’s the catch, then?”

  “As I said, I can make good use of your skills. Train you, protect you, provide you with more than you can dream of.” He held his hand out with a flourish. “I’d be saving you from the unforgiving streets. Homelessness doesn’t suit a pretty face…unless you want to be serving on street corners.”

 You gulped, lowering your gaze to the ground. You couldn’t deny the fact that prostitution had crossed your mind. No one was willing to hire a homeless teen in your District, so it was a likely outcome for someone such as yourself. So far, you’d managed to avoid that and survived with stealing basic items, like food. It wasn’t ideal, but it was essential. Sure, you’d been chased and beaten and cursed out, but you’d kept your wits about you and lived this long. You could get through it alone…right?

 The Don, probably sensing you waver, chuckled and withdrew his hand. Something shifted in his eyes, leaving them cold and bitter, contrasting with his smile. “How about this instead, since you think I’m going to let someone like you roam free: if you don’t come work for me, I can guarantee you that I will make it my personal mission to find you, take you and gift wrap you for Levich myself. And we all know what he wanted with you, dollface.”

 Your eyes went wide at his words. That had been a threat. He had just given you an ultimatum you had no chance of refusing, no way of backing out of. He had one goal in mind and he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

  “But…why?” You finally sputtered out. “Why do you need me? For _what_ reason? I-I don’t unders- “

  “Because you, babe, are going to help take over the First and Third District.”


	2. Years Later...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I'm ready to be done with this semester and finally breathe again.
> 
> Which is why I'm posting this chapter instead of doing my paper! Yeah!
> 
> For those of you still doing finals, you've got this, guys. Don't give up!!!
> 
> (...I don't own the song.)
> 
> P.S. EDITED I finally decided to change Reader's thief name and it's here to stay.

 You smirked, twisting around to make sure your hair was pristine and everything else was in place. The rhinestones and sequins from your headband and the entirety of your wine-red gown shimmered in the dim light, giving you an ethereal glow that you had been going for. It was perfect.

  A knock at the door. “Lace, you’re on in ten.”

 You smiled, getting up from your vanity and opening your door, where a young, slightly disheveled male stood. His eyes roamed for a second before he snapped out of it, glancing away and awkwardly coughing into his fist. Seems that Jasper hadn’t warned the newbie about you, hence his wandering eyes. Guess it wouldn’t hurt to give the poor boy some slack.

  “Thanks for letting me know.” You gave a genuine smile and held out a gloved hand, which he slowly took and shook. “Are the boys already on stage?”

  “Uh, mostly. Jasper wanted to get his nicotine in before we started.”

  “Not much of a smoker yourself, Mr.…?”

  “Oh, just call me Will.” he replied, flustered. “And, uh, no.”

 You hummed in reply, stepping out of your dressing room and closing the door behind you. Will sucked in a breath and froze, clearly unused to being in such close proximity with the opposite gender. He was definitely younger than he looked, if his reactions said anything. He would be fun to mess with, but it was best not to scare him away too quickly.

  “Come along, then. Don’t need Jasper chewing you out for being late on your first day.”

 You began walking, holding back laughter as Will stumbled behind. You could hear the distinct murmurs of the speakeasy, the smell of cigars and liquor and perfume wafting throughout the building. The two of you came to the stage, where the curtains were closed, keeping you hidden from all the outside eyes. Four men waited on the stage, polishing their instruments and making small talk; you noticed Jasper, the leading musician, was still absent.

  “Hi boys. Everybody ready?” you greeted.

 None of them looked in your direction and simply returned the greeting in shrugs or hums in response. Will wandered over to the piano and sat, refusing to look up from the keys. He would warm up to you eventually, just as all the other musicians had. For now, you’d stick to teasing him just to get a rise out of him.

  “Hey, where’s our leading la – “ Jasper came into view, adjusting his coat. He brightened at the sight of you. “Ah, there she is. I see you managed to embarrass Willie to his grave already.”

  “Just a bit.”

 Jasper gave a heavy sigh. “You’re hopeless, Lace. Let’s get this started, shall we? It’s going to be a long day.”

 You pursed your lips. “Actually…would it be alright if I stood for one song and joined the dance floor afterwards? The Don summoned me early and well…you know how he can be.”

 Jasper threw you the usual look of pity, as most people did when they recognized you and who were shackled to. There was that uncomfortable tension for a second as Jasper’s mouth twitched, as if about to say something, but thought better of it and just nodded instead.

 Everyone readied themselves as you stepped up to your mic and Jasper took out his sax, fidgeting with it for a second. Without requiring a cue, the curtains slid open and light streamed in, revealing the speakeasy and all its’ heady atmosphere. The lights were dim and warm, illuminating the building and, more importantly, inhabitants of the First and Second Districts. As per usual, the two stuck to opposite sides of the speakeasy, eyeing the other in disdain as they went about their drinking and gambling and dancing. It was wild, tense and never held a dull moment when you came in. On many occasions, you would walk in and be witness to a massive fight between the two groups as they mauled each other.

 Rubare had stuck you in here for a reason. This speakeasy was a special place, a strange sanctuary that sat smack dab on the borders of the two Districts. When it came to territory, this was the one building that no one from either side touched. There was always talk of someone burning it down or destroying it, but it never happened, and no one wanted to give it up. In the end, an arrangement of sorts had been made and both Districts had been allowed to come together under the same roof and try to forget the fact that they were enemies. It was also a great place to get information out of any loosened tongues or greedy pockets.

 You lightly tapped your mic, satisfied with the way it reverberated from the loudspeakers, and grinned down at your audience. To you, it didn’t matter who saw you perform, so long as you got paid at the end of your shift and no one tried any funny business with you. Not that anyone would dare tough Don Joe’s “Lace”, though…not unless they wanted to dig their own grave. Jasper did a quiet countdown, tapping his foot in a steady rhythm before the band started up and music closed around you and you found yourself in a blissful daze of slow jazz. You let yourself get carried away as you listened for your cue, unconsciously swaying as if you hadn’t a care in the world.  

  “ _No one to talk with,_

_All by myself._

_No one to walk with,_

_But I'm happy on the shelf._

_Ain't misbehavin';_

_I'm savin' my love for you._ ”

 You had most of your audience’s attention, save for a few stragglers that had their sights set on the flappers or liquor. Some were already making their way from the platformed tables and bar to get onto the dance floor and forget everything. In rare moments, the First and Second Districts would mingle here, and most wouldn’t even bat an eye. In this regard, at least, the two Districts were alike.

  “ _I know for certain,_

_The one I love;_

_I'm through with flirtin',_

_It's just you I'm thinkin' of._

_Ain't misbehavin';_

_I'm savin' my love for you._ ”

 You stayed soft, crooning the crowd under your spotlight, closing your eyes and smiling as the band played on. This, right here, was your haven, where it was just you among people and dancing and jazz. No lies, no shackles, no cruel Don.

  “ _Like Jack Horner,_

_In the corner._

_Don't go nowhere,_

_What do I care?_

_Your kisses are worth waitin' for,_

_Believe me._ ”

 You took a glance off to your left where Will sat, his body language lax as he ran his fingers over the keys. The kid was in his element too, it seemed. You could definitely respect and understand that, the poor cat. The two of you would get along swell, so long as he didn’t get stuck on you like Eli had. Eli hadn’t been a subtle kind of guy, though, not to mention he couldn’t take a hint very well. Boss had gotten through to him in the end, sadly.

  “ _I don't stay out late,_

_Don't care to go._

_I'm home about eight,_

_Just me and my radio._

_Ain't misbehavin';_

_I'm savin' my love for you._ ”

 Smiles were on most faces, cards were constantly being shuffled and feet were tapping to the beat. You lived for these days, when nothing else mattered. If only you could stick around and enjoy it to the fullest, it would be so much better. However, there was a little note that you had burned in your dressing room earlier that demanded your attention and you couldn’t ignore it. Knowing the Boss, he had already sent someone to deliver your night attire and it was sitting in your dressing room right this minute.

  _Don’t think about that for now,_ you chastised yourself. _That can come later._

  “ _Like Jack Horner,_

_In the corner._

_Don't go nowhere,_

_What do I care?_

_Your kisses are worth waitin' for,_

_Believe me._ ”

 After this song, you had every intention to go down onto the dance floor yourself and partner up with anyone willing. If singing couldn’t get your mind off of your mission for tonight, dancing was the only solution. A desperate attempt, sure, but it had never failed in lifting your spirits and erasing anything else. You wished you could get your hands on some giggle juice like everyone else was, but the Don had strictly forbidden that whenever he sent you off. Getting tipsy while on the job meant a higher chance of failure, of disappointing the Don.

  “ _I don't stay out late,_

_Don't care to go._

_I'm home about eight,_

_Just me and my radio._

_Ain't misbehavin';_

_I'm savin' my love for you._ ”

 You held the final note for a moment before Jasper concluded it, ending the song with a flourish. Your audience applauded, some regulars hollering your stage name for all to hear. You gave a wave before turning to Jasper and nodding to the dance floor with a silent plea. He rolled his eyes at the request, but his sad smile gave him away. He waved you away, then tapped out a new beat and got the band rolling again, this time with a snappy rhythm.

 Giddy as can be, you practically ran off the stage and into the growing crowd that was on the dance floor. Flapper dresses and coats flew, shoes tapped, and hips swung ‘round as you looked for a partner. The air was already warm from the body heat, but you didn’t pay it any mind as you caught sight of a lone fellow that obviously belonged to the First District standing on the outskirts of the floor, scanning the mass of bodies. Shoving through the crowd, you ran up to him and grabbed his wrist, dragging him back into the fray.

  “Miss…?!” By the look of things, he hadn’t been prepared for anyone to snatch him up. “What – “

  “Shut your yap and dance with me!” you ordered, putting your hands in his.

 He did so, albeit with a moment’s hesitation, but he warmed up to you instantly and got lost in the music with you. He didn’t seem to mind the fact that you were from the Second District or that you were the well-known “Lace” of Don Rubare, which you were grateful for. Some potential dance partners were too intimidated to come near you, let alone dance with you. It tended to ruin your mood when men did that, so it was always a welcoming sight when they it brushed it off and lived in the moment with you.

 The room quickly became a blur of lights and smoke, the smell of sweat and liquor making you dizzy as your partner swung you around, kicking your feet like it was your last dance. You could do this forever, just inhaling it all in and dancing the night away until you wore out your heels. There were many occasions where you would allow yourself to daydream, to imagine that this was your entire life. It was freeing and swell and nothing short of a dream come true.

  _But it’ll stay a dream as long as you remain trapped under Rubare_ , your stupid brain shot at you, ending your good time. You deflated a bit as reality hit you between the eyes and brought you down from your high, as it usually did when thinking of the shackles the Don had on you. So long as Rubare lived, you would be under his thumb and he would keep a short leash on you. You knew he would only keep you as a tool in order to gain a foothold over the other Districts, otherwise you might as well kiss your entire life farewell, which was just as scary to think about.

 Your partner seemed oblivious to your lack of enthusiasm and kept the two of you moving, pulling you to him and bringing you into a fast-paced foxtrot. You followed along and tried to pull your head out of your circumstances and pay attention to the band as they transitioned into another song. It was hard to when you focused on the tight collar the Don had around your neck. It didn’t help that time was ticking down and you would have to go change into your outfit and sneak out via the roof. From there…well, it was a straight shot to the First District, specifically the house of Don Levich.

* * *

 

 You stepped into your dressing room, closing and locking the door behind you with a sigh. There it was like you knew it’d be; set on your vanity chair was a folded pile of black, awaiting you to take action. The cursed thing was forever taunting you, making it clear that you were stuck to Rubare and would do anything he told you, regardless of the what happened to you.

 That had been the first thing he had established with you, engraving it into your mind that he would not get you out any jam you got yourself in. When things got tough, he would leave you to your own devices and that was that. There had been some moments where such a thing had occurred, with your back against the wall and weapons pointed at you in an attempt to bump you off the map, so to speak. It had been traumatizing to find yourself trapped, with no hope of getting out alive and never being able to go back to your simple joy of singing. You still had nightmares about it, in all honesty, and it had kept a stab of fear buried deep within you.

  _I’d best not keep the First District waiting any longer,_ you thought, bitterly snatching up the bundle of clothes and letting it unravel. It was always the same outfit, having become something of your signature style among the three Districts. Rubare had been set on some lace gown for your night activities but had allowed you to choose something more reasonable in the end. A pair of high-waisted trousers with suspenders, a dark silk blouse and your iconic full-faced masquerade mask were the entirety of your outfit, lacking any accessories or anything else eye-catching. It didn’t restrain movement, covered everything accordingly and kept your identity safe, not to mention anyone who caught sight of you knew who you represented. Rubare and his minions had raised an eyebrow to your choice of clothing, but nobody had objected to it and the rest was history.

 You slipped out of your beautiful dress and pulled your black attire on, then going about putting your hair up and into a bobbed wig. It was funny that, even though you weren’t a man, you still held a splendid figure in these pants. In all honesty, you found trousers and shorts to be just as flattering as any skirt was on you. Why everyone insisted that pants were made strictly for men was a mystery to you.

 You took one last look at yourself before picking up your mask and brushing your finger over a scratch that lay underneath the left eyehole. That had happened only two weeks ago on your last mission, when some of the occupants of the Third District had interrupted another one of your robberies in the First and gotten in your way as you were trying to escape. The fuzz had arrived quickly and one managed to get a shot at you, thankfully only grazing your mask instead of filling you full of lead. It had been a terrifying night and you refused to have a repeat of it any time soon.

 Finally, you deemed yourself worthy enough to go out and slid the mask over your face, adjusting it slightly before glancing at yourself in the mirror. A stranger stared back at you, their eyes glittering within the depths of the black lace. No longer were you Y/n or even “Lace”; once more, you had slipped into the mask of Miss Creux.


	3. How do you like your Gin?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I think I like the way this one turned out. Let me know what you think.
> 
> Now I have to go do adult things! UGH.

Miss Creux was motionless beneath the flashing sign of a hotel, checking that her wig was still set in place. From this high up, you needn’t worry about anyone seeing you…at least anyone residing in the First District, anyways. You were scanning for any signs of magic in your surroundings, using your WiDi device that could detect even a whiff of the stuff. It would be so much easier if magic were visible to the human eye, but that sadly wasn’t the case. One of the cons of being a simple human, you supposed, though it did leave you flailing at times. You didn’t want anyone from the Third District to get in your way tonight.

 You stowed your gadget away and took in the streets below, which was a steady stream of cars and crowds and lights, everyone trying to out-dress one another. Here, impressions meant everything in every nook and cranny. With a Don like Levich, this District was bound to endless energy and overbearing style, stuck in a swirl of pleasures and forced smiles and hidden weapons. There was a reason this area was so flashy and held so much luxurious style, why it was clean and picturesque for all to see: Roman Levich hated being outdone. If someone even dared to come out and outshine him, he saw that as a personal threat and he would do anything to stay at the top. Being at the top of food chain for so long, his ego had gotten to be too much. He was, in simpler terms, a wild card.

 And you couldn’t stand a wild card like him.

  _Alright, now let’s see…Holli’s Nightclub is right over there._ You paused, digging into your thigh pocket and pulling out a lens piece no bigger than a marble, then looked through it. _Three out front…_ You adjusted the lens dial, carefully zooming in. _Two in the back. That’ll be easy if they stay put. None on the roof or in nearby buildings, so they probably aren’t expecting me tonight. Looks like I just need to worry about the inside._ You pocketed the lens and swiftly jumped off the roof, your stomach dropping as you fell.

 You reached out halfway through your fall and grabbed the windowsill you had been aiming for, taking this moment to look down at your options of landing: a fancy automobile parked in front of the building, the red awning or one of the large bushes. None of these options guaranteed your safety, but if you timed it right, you should be able to use your anti-gravity gummi resting against your breast; those things didn’t last long, so timing was crucial.

  “Awning it is. I don’t want to deal with getting sticks out of this wig again.” you muttered, digging the gummi out.

 You glanced below, taking in the distance before letting go of the sill and letting your drop once more. You held your breath, watching the ground get closer and closer. _Not yet._ Your heart was stuttering, fear gnawing on your stomach. _Not yet._ The awning was coming close, your wig whipping around in your freefall. You could see cigarettes littering the sidewalk now.

  _Now!_

 You popped the gummi in your mouth and swallowed it whole, wincing at the uncomfortable sensation as magic enveloped you from the inside out. The countdown started as your descent paused, leaving you floating in the air like you had just been sprinkled with pixie dust. You sagged in relief as the effects faded, your feet touching the awning and sliding down to drop to solid ground.

  “Here’s hoping I didn’t need that tonight.”

 You stepped to the side, sticking to the shadows as best you could; it was difficult doing so when every corner of this District was lit up like a casino 24/7. At least there wasn’t much of a crowd near this building, so you needn’t worry too much about being spotted. There was quite a ruckus going on in front of the nightclub, however, with plenty of men in dashing suits and obnoxiously trying to outdo their companions. It was a sight that you had become accustomed to but was distasteful regardless.

  _Now, how to get inside without being noticed?_ Taking off the mask wasn’t an option in this place, but neither was waltzing in with it on. Perhaps you could go through the back if you got rid of this guards? No, too risky. There weren’t any entrances on the roof, so that put you in a corner if you needed to make a speedy exit. Hopefully you would be able to get in and out and avoid any guns or knifes tonight. It would be even less ideal to come back to Rubare empty-handed, so…

  “Here goes nothing.”

* * *

 

 It was your lucky day that you managed to go around the building and come across one of the showgirls enjoying a smoke outside. Her exaggerated make up didn’t exactly give her an appealing look, but it didn’t matter much when you managed to sneak over and deliver a swift blow to her head and knock her unconscious without a sound. Being careful, you propped her up against the wall and winced at the outfit you would be wearing in a few minutes.

 You groaned, then stripped off your outfit, keeping an ear and eye out if anyone approached. It was a bit more difficult to dress a limp body in your clothes, but you finally managed to wrestle the woman into your pants and adjusted your new (thankfully temporary) dress, wincing as you touched a hand to your mask. If you removed it, that could spell trouble for you if Roman Levich was seated inside right now. But leaving it was a clear statement as to who you were for everyone, seeing as it was your signature in every mugshot.

 You sighed, then carefully removed it. “Guess I’m really going naked for this one.”

 Since you weren’t about to leave your mask behind to be found, you went ahead and stuck it under your headdress of giant feathers and rhinestones before deeming yourself ready. Shoulders back and head high, you sauntered off to the back door, your stomach clenching at the two men standing guard. They both turned, and you nearly flinched, expecting one of them to notice the difference, but they hardly said a word as you moved past them and made your way up the stairs and into the building. You shut the door softly and remembered to breathe.

  “Gin, you take forever!” a female voice gushed.

 You turned and found yourself in a long, dimly lit hallway, looking at a tall showgirl in the same outfit as yours trying to sew a rip on her dress. To her right, a door opened and two more females – one a brunette, the other with blonde hair – stuck their heads out, both with the same headpieces as yours.

  “Gin! About time, too. We thought you were having fun with those guys outside!” one of them said.

 You internally reacted to that nasty image, but merely smiled and said nothing. The two in the doorway came out into the hallway, revealing the fact that they were in nothing but their undergarments.

  “Gin, did you really remove your make up? We’re on in fifteen!”

  “Come on, you shouldn’t just stand there!”

 The woman sewing paused in her actions to point her needle at the two. “June, you and Bettie aren’t even dressed.”

 The blonde, June, pouted over her shoulder. “But Sugar, I- “

  “Quit dawdling, then.”

 You were directed to sit in front of a vanity by Bettie, but you had your head turned to Sugar: your target for tonight. She was pretty, sure, but she wasn’t some Sheba like you had been expecting. She had gone back to sewing, shifting just enough to show off the heavy necklace that you had been ordered to fetch. It was a lovely thing, with a display of diamonds and pearls fit for a queen. Roman treated her well, it seemed…like many of his other mistresses.

  “Gin, stop spacing off and get ready!” Bettie scolded, shimming into her dress.

  _Time to look the part, then._ You looked in front of you at the array of makeup, hesitant to pick anything that would give you away. Thankfully they had barely given you a second glance and were oblivious at the fact that were not, in fact, Gin. That just made it promising if you bumped into anyone else who might know who you were.

 You settled for heavy eyeshadow and blush, as you had seen Gin wearing, followed by bright red lipstick. The effect was…just as unappealing as you thought it would be. Certainly not something you’d ever wear, but this wouldn’t be the first time you’d had to do this. _Grin and bear it. This won’t take long._

  “Ladies!” A short man came and stood in the doorway, his perfect teeth showing. “Everyone ready?”

  “Yes, Mr. Smith!” June and Bettie giggled.

  “Sugar, I let Angel know you were switching places. I want to make sure everything is perfect for the Don.”

 Sugar smiled, her neutral expression becoming sultry at the mention of the Don. You shivered, old memories surfacing in your mind and making you want to gag. Why would this woman, who seemed so intelligent and resourceful at first glance, want to be with Levich? You hurried to shove those thoughts aside, fearful to break character and ruin your cover.

  “Alright, we’re all ready, Mr. Smith!” June said, posing dramatically.

  “Then let’s put on a show, shall we?”

 June and Bettie skipped out of the room, arms linked as they followed behind Smith. You lingered behind with Sugar, who had just finished sewing up her dress and was trying to fix her hair again. If this wasn’t a great opportunity, then you don’t know what was.

  “Need help?” you asked, standing to your feet.

 She raised her head and went still for a second, her brow furrowing. _Damnit, I shouldn’t have said anything._

  “Sugar, come on! Don’t keep him waiting!”

  “Uh…coming!” Her eyes never wavered from you, but she looked unsettled. “I just…need to reapply my lips.”

 Silence for a moment. Awkward tension. You didn’t like the readable fear in her eyes, but it had become a normal occurrence.

  “I don’t have time for this, _Sugar_.” you hissed.

 She flinched. “Who are you? What do you want?”

  “Like I said, I don’t have time.” You held out your hand. “Give me the necklace and we can go our separate ways.”

 Her hands flew to her jewelry, defiant now. “The Don gave this to me as a gift. You can’t have them, you little leech!”

  “Ugh, typical response. Why does everyone make my job harder?”

 You shifted your stance, wishing you had kept your own shoes on instead of these awful heels. Letting instinct take over, you yanked your headdress off and aimed for Sugar’s face, slipping your mask over your face as she fumbled. Rushing forward, you slammed her into the wall and held her there, cringing at the sharp gasp she let out. You wanted to get out of here before she screamed for help, and those two guards were only a few feet outside.

  “Sorry…” you whispered, wrapping your hand around her necklace. “I just need this.”

  “HE-“ You clapped your hand over her mouth before she made another sound.

  “Listen, I don’t want to hurt you. I’m just going to take this, and I’ll vanish.”

 Her eyes widened as she stared at your mask, recognition flooding her face as her body began quivering under your weight. The thought that this poor woman was afraid of you wasn’t sitting well with you, but it wouldn’t be the first, nor the last. _Damn you for making me do this, Joseph Rubare_. You ripped the necklace off her and jumped away, stuffing the jewels into your cleavage. Sugar was frozen, pressed against the wall as she stared at you.

  “I’m sure Roman will understand.” You grinned under your mask. “Make sure you tell the bastard about me, Sugar.”

  “HELLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

 Okay, _ow._ She certainly had a good pair of lungs on her. You turned to head out the back door that had just been flung open, where it seemed the Don had placed more guards during your time inside. _Five? I swear he does this just to make my life harder than it already is._

  “Hi boobs. Mind letting me through?” They were already drawing their guns, standing in the way of your escape route. “Oh, sorry, I left my gun at home. Maybe next time?”

  “You really gonna go around messing with one of the Boss’ dolls?” one laughed.

 “You really want to risk shooting one of your Boss’ dolls?” you retaliated.

 A moment of hesitation, of doubt, was all you needed. You turned, grabbing Sugar by the arm and dragged her in front of you, your hand reaching for the one weapon you had managed to strap on your thigh without making it obvious you were carrying anything. The blade went up under Sugar’s chin, who made a sort of squeaking noise in her throat.

  “You can go ahead and lower your weapons. Wouldn’t want to hurt this pretty face, right?” Your stomach twisted as you pressed the blade a tad harder, causing Sugar to let out a choked sob. “Now, are you going to move, or do I need to knock off this dame first?”

  “ _No!_ Please, pleasepleaseplease no!”

  “Sugar, you need to be…oh my.”

 Of course, Mr. Smith had to interrupt. What a night this was turning out to be. You needed to move fast if you were going to even make it out of here alive.

  “Mr. Smith, how nice of you to join us. We were just heading your way. Can’t keep the Boss waiting, right?” Keeping an ear out for Smith, you began to walk backward, taking Sugar with you. “Let’s get you on stage with June and Bettie.”

 Your hostage made no attempt at escaping, compliant with your demands. You could hear Smith walking ahead, which was useful; if he tried to attack you or make a run for it and get someone, it would be difficult to watch your back on both ends. Making your way down the hallway, you turned to find the stage and caught sight of the line of showgirls waiting for the curtain to rise. _Perfect._

 Right on cue, a shrill scream echoed throughout the entire building, followed by another and another. Chaos ensued, giving you enough cover to let go of Sugar and shove her into Roman’s men, running into the gaggle of girls and between the red curtains. You had only a split second to look at your new surroundings mid-jump, but it was quite a sight.

 Diamond chandelier.

 Seven, no, eight guards.

 Thousands of people seated at tables or standing around.

 And Don Roman Levich was right there, sitting in a white suit.

 The next second was crucial and needed complete focus. You only had a knife as a weapon and none of your gadgets were here and weren’t much help in this situation. _Get past these people, head for the lobby and run out the front doors._ From there, you could improvise a bit.

 You landed in front of a table of older men, who jumped at your sudden appearance. It seems the girls’ screams had already made Levich suspicious, as he was already standing from his seat. His eyes narrowed on you, a murderous look on his face. He gestured towards you and his men responded in kind, pulling their guns into view. People were beginning to notice that something was going on, the noise level rising as the other five guards came onto the stage.

  “Guess I won’t be entertaining you tonight, Roman?” you called out, fishing out the necklace and giving him a peek.

 He didn’t answer as his face darkened, pulling a pistol of his own out. That was your cue to head out, then. You dashed behind the table of men and jumped behind another table, cursing at your current outfit limiting you. Gunfire started up, but you couldn’t tell where it was coming or where it aimed. People were screaming now, making a run for the exits and creating a crowd. You needed to make it in that throng and you’d be able to head back to your District.

 Sliding your knife back into its’ holster, you leapt for the next table, your heel catching the tablecloth and forcing you to stumble. There were more jumbled screams, but gunfire was solely focused on where you were. It was only a matter of time before you became filled with their bullets.

  “Okay, these heels need to go.” You quickly slid them off and tossed them under the table. “Can’t believe women would want to wear these.”

 Everything was still loud and messy, but you didn’t dare peek out. Instead, you stayed low and kept-

 You went still as a bone the size of an umbrella flew into the table and imbedded it into the wall, shimmering a pretty blue for a breath before the color faded. Your hand went to grab for your WiDi, but only brushed your thigh instead, reminding you of the fact that you’d been forced to leave your gadgets behind in your outfit. You needed to get that all back before you left the First District, otherwise you’d piss off your Boss.

  “Shit, where’s that-”

  “Duck!”

 That sounded like another opportunity you needed to take before it closed. Thankfully, you had an easier time getting from table to table in bare feet, so you moved faster and silent. You mostly tuned out the curses and increase in gunshots going on, but you knew better than to completely ignore it and risk getting in the range of fire. If only you had taken your WiDi along, you would have gotten a warning about this and planned ahead.

  “Boss! Creux!” Shit. “She has your necklace!”

  “I’m aware, Jeremy. She might still be here. Search the room while we Dust these things.”

 Well, that didn’t last long. You’d be found in a few minutes if you didn’t make a move now. You could hear the battle still going on, which made it difficult to listen for anything else. You hated going for any risks that put your life on the line (more so than you already had to), but you needed to get out of here. Risky choice, then.

 Standing abruptly to your feet, your mind took that split second to assess the area: tables strewn about, a horde of men shooting at something on the other side of the room, one man in a torn suit looking around for you. You went ahead and started running, jumping onto the nearest table that hadn’t been flipped in the midst of chaos. You could feel eyes on you, but kept your sights set on your exit.

  “There you are!”

 No time to panic or look behind you. You leapt for the next table, then slipped off to land behind it. Right on time, too, as shots were fired into the wall overhead where you had just been. Maybe Lady Luck was on your side today and you’d get out of here and bullet-less.

  “Gotcha!” A cold hand closed around the back of your neck, forcing you to the ground. “Gimme the necklace!” You winced at the position but kept still and quiet. You needed a distraction so you could grab your knife and get this guy off you. You hadn’t expected him to sneak up behind you so quickly and that had been your fault. His hand tightened, along with the touch of metal against the back of your head. “Hand it over, Creux!”

 You didn’t have time for this. _Come on, make a diversion for me,_ you silently begged.

  “Well, aren’t you a twit for getting into this sort of situation?” The man over you gasped, moved as if to shoot the owner of the voice, then suddenly seemed to be thrown off of you. “You usually aren’t this thoughtless, Miss Creux.”

  “Haven’t heard your voice in a while. Should I expect a swift bullet now or…?” you groaned.

  “The Twins insisted I come rescue the damsel. You’re welcome.”

 You chuckled, getting to your feet. “I’m no damsel, BP.”

 A giant cat monster was sprawled atop the table, a cigarette hanging from his mouth. His orange fur bristled as you stepped back, your hand hovering over your thigh holster. When it came to members of the Third District, you needed to be cautious. Most times, you steered clear of one another and did your own thing, but there were times when you had gotten too close and things had gotten ugly (you still had the scars to prove it). But then there were these rare moments, where they would lend a hand and help you to your feet when you were backed into a corner. It was always a coin toss and one you never took lightly.

  “Could’ve fooled me. He seemed to have you collared and everything.” BP joked.

 You smirked behind your mask. BP was an odd one, but you didn’t mind his presence. He seemed to feel the same by the lax state he was in right now. He inhaled deeply, took the stick from his mouth and let smoke drift to the ceiling. It seemed he had someone’s force field covering his ass, if those ricocheting bullets from behind him meant anything. No wonder he was so relaxed right now.

  “You’re just going to take a smoke break?” you asked in amusement.

  “I’m watching your back so you can get out of here. The Twins send you their regards. Now beat it.”

 You smiled and wasted no time in heading out into the lobby and outside, refusing to look back and stick around. Just as you had stepped out into the fresh air, the unmistakable sound of sirens reached your ears. With no time to waste, you ran to the side of the building, where the real Gin still lay unconscious. Your anxiety rose as the sirens came closer to the building, cursing your hands for shaking as you tried to change back into your own outfit.

 Just as you had slipped Gin back into her dress, flashing red-and-blue lights parked around the front. You had no way of getting past them without getting shot on sight, so now what?

  “heya. need some peanut butter to go with that jam you’re in?” a deep voice said from above.


	4. New Assignment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh. My gosh.
> 
> I apologize for being absent for so long, but there's been so much going on that it took forever to touch this chapter to finish it!
> 
> Adulting sucks.
> 
> But now we get to see what happened!!! I hope you like it!  
> And I HOPE that I can get the next chapter out soon, but there's going to be a lot going on, sooo...we'll see.
> 
> (I don't own the song, but I do love it!!!)

 You didn’t need to look to know who that was. If his awful pun hadn’t given it away, his voice certainly did; looks like your old pal, the Judge, was waiting for his friends to finish up inside before making a quick getaway. Levich had the worst luck today, it seemed.

  “No, I wasn’t sandwiched in, thanks to you and your buddies in there. Thanks for throwing me a bone.” You turned and looked up, spotting him sitting idly on the roof with his legs dangling over the edge. “Not going to join in tonight?”

  “nah, they seem to have it under control. they’ll call if it gets a bit dicey. it’s a nice night.”

 The realization hits you then.

  “How long have you been up there?!” you hissed.

  “hm…long enough. at least i got a private show.” He winks.

 That little-! You whipped out your gun, your heart jumping at the confirmation of this peeping tom. Had he seen your face; did he know your true identity now? He seemed smug, sure, but it was possible he hadn’t. Was he pretending he saw nothing? He tended to joke around a lot. Crap, the Don would have your head if he knew you’d been found out. Did you really have to Dust him now?

  “heh. don’t worry, i actually didn’t see anything. i had more important things to worry about.”

 You held your breath for a moment longer, wary-

  “Kisen! Right side! Creux in my sights!”

 Shit! You would have to deal with this later if you wanted to get back to your District safely. Putting away your gun, you jumped up onto the wall of the building, your fingers digging into the smooth brick. Twisting your body, you pushed off and aimed for the wall of the neighboring building, grimacing at the gunshot that rang in your ears and caused a spat of brick to flick into your face.

  “Quit running, ya little tramp!”

 Twist, push, land.

  “Taylor, don’t just stand there!”

 More bullets, all inches from where you were. Blood was rushing in your ears and blocking out the cacophony of noise. You twisted and jumped again.

  “heh. you sure ya don’t want a hand there?”

 Oh. You had forgotten the Judge was here. You had put him in the back of your mind in order to escape from the coppers, but if he was willing to help you out, you weren’t going to say no. You held out a hand in his direction, heart in your throat. He was standing on the roof now, hands in his pockets and calmly observing the scene below. You weren’t far from getting onto the roof, but you knew it wouldn’t be long before one of those bullets hit their target.

 There was a bright star, a cyan circle of light that flickered to life. Your grip was failing you, causing you to slip down a few inches. Shots were fired, you slipped a bit further, the cyan grew deeper in intensity. There was a moment of discomfort as living magic, warm and potent, crawled along your body, gripping you tightly. Your entire being now glowed a bright blue, digging into your body and wriggling its way to your SOUL in order to fully grab hold of you. Your instincts told you to flinch and pull away from the intrusion, but you held fast and let it takes its course. You knew from personal experience what would happen if you resisted in any way and you weren’t willing to go through that sort of thing again.

 The bullets hit against your arm and hip, pressing against you to impact your body before bouncing harmlessly away and falling back down to Earth. Magic certainly was helpful when you needed it most, else you would be bleeding out and full of lead. You let go of the wall as you felt magic tug at you, pulling you up and depositing you in front of the Judge before the magic withdrew entirely, vanishing from your human eyes. You could hear the cops shouting orders at each other, but you let that be background noise for now in order to focus on the monster before you.

 If you were to keep your distance, you wouldn’t notice any noticeable features that distinguished him from a regular human. His three-piece suit was slightly wrinkled, but never stained or ripped; you knew that was all thanks to his brother. The only thing that he always managed to get away with was his scuffed shoes and tattered fedora, both of which you never saw him without. However, underneath all that attire, you knew a stout skeleton stood, held together by magic.

 You exhaled in relief. “Looks like I’m indebted to you guys again. Twice over.”

  “i’m sure you’ll pay us back sooner or later.”

  “I don’t have much of a choice in the matter.” You adjusted your suspenders before smiling behind your mask. “Then I’m on the lam, aren’t I?”

 He chuckled and tipped his hat to you, but otherwise said nothing to that. You looked at him for a moment, trying to decipher the expression on his skull. He was never an easy one to read and tonight seemed to be no different. Oh well, I suppose that was your cue. You gave him a nod, turned and ran off the roof to hop across to the next building without another word.

* * *

 

 You stood before your boss’ desk in his spacious office, covered in a tan trench coat, waiting for him to finish up whatever it is he was doing so you could hand over the necklace and head home. You needed a shower and a comfy bed right now, but Don Rubare was a bomb with a short fuse. You learned early on in this deal of yours that he didn’t like to be rushed or ordered around, lest you want to be on his bad side.

 The beautiful piece of jewelry was sitting heavily in your coat pocket, but you barely acknowledged its’ weight as you grazed it with your fingertips, your tired mind wandering back to the Judge once more. You were nervous about the fact that he had actually seen your face while you had been unmasked (and naked, too), and if so, what he would do with that information. He could easily sell you out to someone from any of the Districts or even just blackmail you. Whatever the case, Rubare would have your head if he heard the news.

 No, you were overthinking things with your exhausted mind. You didn’t know if he had or hadn’t, so there was no use in taking action yet. The Third District may have become an ally of sorts for you, but you knew better than to trust them entirely. You needed a plan, otherwise this could ruin your chance to free yourself from Rubare.

 The door to the office clicked open before the man himself stepped inside, barely glancing your way as he shut the door. Casually walking behind his desk, he settled into his chair and raised his eyes to you. His jaw was tight, and you could barely hear the grinding of his teeth, which wasn’t a good sign. Someone or something had turned him sour and that meant he wasn’t in the mood for games or your night. Saves you the trouble of having to lie to him.

  “Well?” he grumbled, pulling a toothpick out and sticking it into his mouth.

 Wordlessly, you took the necklace from your pocket and deposited it on his desk before him. He rolled the toothpick around, eyeing the glittering piece before picking it up, silently examining its’ authenticity. You waited until he sighed and set it back down, leaning back into his chair and gestured at you with one hand, signally you to give your report of your mission. Damn. Regardless, you had rehearsed this multiple times in your head already.

 “I successfully snuck into his favorite nightclub and got to his little mistress backstage before she alerted his dogs. I made it out of there while some monsters distracted them.” You didn’t bother mentioning the fact that said monsters had personally helped you out of there unscathed or your little incident. “It was chaos when I left, and no one followed me.”

 He stared at you for a few seconds, then hummed in acknowledgement. “Good. One less thing to worry about.”

 You stood and awaited any further comments or instructions, but he merely picked the necklace back up and turned it around in the light, quiet. The multiple jewels glittered along the walls, shining in your eyes. Was he just ignoring your presence now? You wished he would just dismiss you already so you could leave.

  “I need you to head out tomorrow night and retrieve something for me in the Third District.”

 The statement threw you off guard. “What would the Monster District have that you need?”

  “Not what; who.”

 You fought yourself from showing any emotion, but the words still made your stomach twist. He wanted you to kidnap a monster?! You could fight off humans with guns any time of day, but a magical being?

  “You have numerous people better suited for that sort of job.” You made sure your voice didn’t shake and give anything away. You were risking a lot in defying the Don, but you held firm. “Why have me do it?”

 He hadn’t looked up from the necklace the entire time, but you could sense his mood darkening in the silence.  “Because I told you to. Prepare for tomorrow night and don’t fail.”

 That was a dismissal if the tone in his voice meant anything. You practically flew from the room, slamming the door behind you in your haste. A couple of his lackeys that stood outside glanced your way at the loud noise, then sneered at the sight of you. Yeah, they never had warmed up to the idea of having you be a part of their gang.

 You took a deep breath and stormed past the lot of them, thankful none of them had tried to start anything with you. You headed outside of the building just in time to see the dawn welcome you, squinting in the bright light. What time was it? You needed to get as much sleep as possible before your next gig at the speakeasy. Curling up inside your coat, you began making your way home. Your feet knew the way, which allowed you a moment to think over your new objective.

  “Tomorrow…” Tomorrow you would step foot into the Third District for the first time and see it for yourself. You would have to sneak in and find an innocent victim to kidnap and take to your ruthless boss. “Rubare, you’re a disgusting bastard.”

 You could hear that tiny voice in the back of your mind, murmuring about the fact that it had been the Third District that had swopped in and saved your ass when things had gotten dicey. Now here you were, ordered to go and essentially destroy what little friendship (neutral hatred?) you had going with them. It shouldn’t matter to you, seeing as you’ve always kept your distance with the District warfare.

 You needed to figure something out, something that would still pacify Rubare without getting his wrath. Maybe…should you try to find one of your monster friends, see if they would be willing to help? The Twins, perhaps?

  _What if they decide not to help you?_

_What if they try to kill you?_

_What if the Judge knows who you are and uses that as leverage against you?_

_What if…_

_What if…_

_What if…_

 You got home with these countless ‘what-if’ scenarios, but no answers. A quick shower didn’t give any inspiration, either. You slid into your bed, but you tossed and turned for a long while before you managed to close your eyes.

* * *

 

 Walking into work, you glanced to the stage, where another canary stood, her soprano voice bouncy and light. Jasper and the band were playing their instruments enthusiastically, feet tapping and boyish grins on their faces. You wished you could be more like her, a free bird able to sing from dusk to dawn, with not a worry in sight. You were so tired…

 You scurried past gamblers and dancers alike, sliding into the backstage door to make your way to your dressing room. However, upon opening the door to said room, you were not expecting to step into a tornado of destruction. Snapping awake, you stood there, taking in the smashing mirror, ruined make up and crumpled outfits strewn about the floor. Who had the audacity to break into your dressing room and destroy it from top to bottom? A First District prat? Had this been your monster friends’ doing?

  _Snap out of it,_ you chastised yourself. Brushing off the momentary shock, you took action and walked in, making sure to lock the door behind you. No one needed to know about this, nor be involved. If someone had figured out who you worked for and knew you sang here as a side job, they wouldn’t hesitate to take advantage of it. Your eyes scanned the room closely now, trying to pinpoint anything that didn’t belong; a note, an object, something. You wished you had your magical gadgets to pinpoint anything in this room, but they were still with Rubare so they could be replenished for tonight. You added that to your mental list of things to do.

 Had this been a statement of sorts? Or had this just been a scare tactic? What was the message here? Had this been a farce for something much more sinister? What did it mean? Was there a deeper plan underneath the current-

  “Knock knock, little Lace! Be ready in twenty, yeah?” You had been startled at the voice coming from outside your door, but you eased up when you recognized Jasper’s gruff voice. “And don’t try running off onto the dance floor this time.”

  “Yessir!” you called back.

 He chuckled before his footsteps moved on and faded away. You eased up as the silence returned, taking a moment to relax your pounding heartbeat. You had nearly picked up the biggest piece of broken glass off your floor and hurled it at your door from that little jumpscare.

  “You’re fine. Everything’s fine.” You kicked aside a lone heel, mind reeling as you started to list your objectives for tonight. “I can’t get distracted at the moment, no matter what. This is nothing I need to worry about. Right now, I need to get ready and I only got twenty minutes. I’ll find out who did this and why later. Focus on the present. That’s so simple, Y/n. Easy.”

 It sounded easier in your head, but you didn’t mention that aloud to yourself. Right now, you had to get ready and try not to think too much about anything else. Shuffling around, you managed to find a (mostly) unwrinkled peacock-themed dress, one that you knew had a matching headpiece to go with it. You threw it on and searched for the headpiece while simultaneously cleaning up some of the unsalvageable stuff. It took five minutes of your time to spot it stuck behind your vanity, but you were glad to see it hadn’t been ruined.

 You rushed through your make up (that you could still use) and hair routine, conscious of the mental clock ticking in your head. You were shoving your feet into the simplest pair of black heels when there came a knock on your door.

  “Coming!” you shouted at the door.

 Silence for a few moments as you finished strapping on your heels, but the shadow of the figure stayed standing in front of your door. You frowned, your muscles tensing as the shadow stood completely still, as if waiting for you. Your instincts kicking into gear, you slowly bent down and picked up the nearest piece of glass, ignoring the sharp edges digging into your skin. You moved towards the door apprehensively, trying to hear anything over the blaring jazz music.

 You approached the door, biting your tongue as you reached for the doorknob. Would it be wise to open the door and blindly attack? It could be someone messing around with you for giggles, but it could also be an actual threat.

  _No, don’t be stupid,_ your brain advised. _You’re smack dab between the First and Second District right now. If you attack someone from either District, one is going to be on your ass. The last thing you need to do is start an unneeded war in here._

 Before you could make a choice, the shadow shifted.

  “Lace!” crowed a familiar voice.

 Instantaneously, the shadow dashed off. You cursed and wrenched the door open, looking to your left for any suspicious persons. However, the only thing you managed to catch was the flying tails of a grey coat before it disappeared around a corner. Will, the new musician, came from the opposite direction with a skip in his step. Had he seen anything?

  “Lace, there you are! Jasper’s starting to g- “

  “Will, did you see who was at my door just now?” you demanded, turning to him.

 He looked puzzled for a few seconds. “Uh…not really.” His eyes lowered and he frowned. “Why are you holding glass, Lace? That’s dangerous.”

 You had forgotten about your temporary weapon. You tossed it into your dressing room without comment. You were tempted to run after that grey coat, but it would be useless at this point. They were long gone, with no way of tracing their steps. Not to mention you were currently at one of your jobs right now and it wasn’t exactly ideal to just up and leave. Regardless, you let the option roll around in your head, contemplating the factors.

 Will, clearly worried, spoke up. “Um…is everything okay, Lace?”

 You weren’t okay, but there was nothing to be done about it. You’d have to let your shadow friend run off without pursuit. But there was no reason to scare the poor boy. It was best he be kept in the dark and go about his little life without being involved in any of this stuff. This wasn’t something to mess around with.

  “No need to fret about little ‘ol me. Come on, Jasper’s probably wondering where we are.” you said with a smile on your face.

 You made sure to shut your door and lock it before leaving for the stage, slipping the key in your bosom. At least Will had been too distracted to glance into your dressing room, otherwise it would have raised a number of panicked, intruding questions. You didn’t want to deal with that today when you already had enough on your plate.

 The two of you got to the stage just in time, thankfully, with Jasper staring down at his wristwatch impatiently. He looked up as you and Will got to your places without any cue, making sure to adjust your headpiece before pulling the mic to your height.

  “It’s ‘bout time, you two. Thought you weren’t gonna show or something.” Jasper mumbled.

 You only half-heard his words, your eyes scanning the crowd in front of you, wondering if one of them were your little shadow. It was unlikely they had stuck around, but it wasn’t impossible. If they were here, you could count on the fact that they had discarded the coat and probably the rest of their attire, just to be safe. It’s what you would do in their shoes.

  “Ready when you are, Lace.” Jasper said.

 That snapped you back to reality. “Uh, yes!”

 Jasper either didn’t notice your odd behavior or wasn’t stupid enough to point it out, playing out a few notes to start the first song. The rest of the band smoothly transitioned into it, leaving you to focus on your current situation and putting everything else on hold. You needed to get your mind off of kidnapping and moving shadows for a while.

“ _I'm singin' in the rain,_

_just singin' in the rain,_

_What a glorious feeling I'm happy again._ ”

 Your thoughts cloud your mind and wrap around you in a cold blanket instantly, dragging you away from the music. You had easy tasks assigned to since day one. You had been trained in escape routines, moving through any dangerous obstacle or situation, professional thievery and looting. But this new assignment? It’s so far gone from your actual job of stealing and sneaking across borders that you had no experience or expertise of. And now, thanks to your boss, you had to add kidnapping to your resume…could you even do it in the first place?

  “ _I'm laughin' at clouds,_

_So dark up above._ ”

 You hated him. You hated being his personal errand girl, hated being collared and leashed to him. Why had he picked you, out of dozens of his men, to do this one sickening task? You could handle stealing from the First District, could brush off the bullets and the curses and the blood, sweat and tears that came with your job. You could even push through stealing from the Third District if he had asked. So why kidnapping?

 Was it a ransom thing? He hadn’t specified anyone for you to target, so that was doubtful. A simple hate crime? Possible, seeing as he hated monsters. So why you, then?

  “ _The sun’s in my heart,_

_And I’m ready for love._ ”

 You should have said no. You should have gone back and argued with the Don, make him do his own dirty work. You had a kinship with monsters, one that you actually liked. You weren’t about to turn and stab them in the back now, not when they had saved your hide multiple times over. God, if anyone knew about that, you’d be shot where you stood.

  “ _Let the stormy clouds chase,_

_Everyone from the place._ ”

Unless…Rubare _did_ know. Shit, that could mean he was testing you with this new task. He wanted to see if your loyalties to him overrode your gratitude to the Third District or not. You had been so cautious in keeping your secrets close to your chest, though. You had done the training, pushed through the pain and loneliness, kept your morals and wits about you. You had kept going, despite everything.

  “ _Come on with the rain,_

_I’ve a smile on my face._ ”

 Well, he was going to be sorely disappointed when you came back empty-handed, huh? Would there be consequences for your actions? Of course. Will you regret going against your orders, even after all these years with Rubare? No chance. You’d disobeyed many times and he had kept you alive, kept his little pawn breathing. You were important to him (for some reason still unknown to you) and he wasn’t stupid enough to go and shoot you in a bout of fury.

 You would rather gain a black eye and broken ribs than lose your sense of morality. That finalized it then, didn’t it? The thought lightened the load off your shoulders, but it left a bittersweet taste in the back of your throat. You were in for hell tonig-

 Wait.

 The song had finished, but you had drowned out the applause and noise around you as something else occurred to you. If you failed this mission, refused the Don and came back to him with nothing…wouldn’t he just send someone else to do it anyway?

 Oh god, there must be a deeper reason, a true intention in this kidnapping scheme. Whatever it was, he would get a monster in the end. You would be useless in that case…because you’d either be dead or in massive agony and bedridden. What if he got ahold of someone you knew, like BP or Papyrus? No, you couldn’t allow that. Monsters had done nothing wrong in your eyes and you couldn’t let Rubare get his grubby hands on the few people who you considered to be friends.

 You needed to go to the Third District, then. Tonight. You had to go to one of them – The Twins or Papyrus or the Judge or the Don himself! – and warn them of the impending attack on their District. There was a chance they wouldn’t believe you or would kill you outright (a gruesome thought, but a truthful one), but you had a feeling, deep down, that they would do the same in your place. You would go and hope for the best, even if it was a colossal risk to do.

 As for returning to Rubare with nothing? You’d worry about that at a later time. If he intended to keep you locked up and in the dark on everything, then you saw no problem with doing the same thing.

  “ _Lace!_ ” a voice hissed, snapping you back to reality.

 You flinched, blinking owlishly at the hundreds of faces staring at you, the music absent. Glancing behind you, you found Jasper beside you, his hand on your shoulder. He frowned, his eyes seeing something in your expression. How long had you been in your head?

  “…five minutes.” He poked his thumb over his shoulder to backstage. “Scram.”

 You didn’t need to be told twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited to write the next chapter, you guys. 
> 
> Like...seriously. SO excited. 
> 
> P.S. I'm sorry for any grammar errors and such. This one was quite hard to write and I rewrote it multiple times, so it may have some mistakes here and there.


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